10 Years of friendship through business
Well, that might be a slight exaggeration - it's more like 9 years, but what's a year between friends?!? It is in fact 10 years since Emily Knight opened Studio Vault - a gallery I have been working with for the majority of it's existence. During this time, through late-night emails, developing workshops, collaborating on commissions and selecting work for exhibitions, Emily and I have developed a friendship which has seen us support each other through work and life.
After an encouraging start when she first introduced my jewellery to her gallery, Emily invited me to teach a workshop sharing my techniques with her budding students. Since then it has been almost an annual event for me to travel to Settle for workshops, and in that time I've got to know her friends and customers. All of whom have benefited from her generosity of time and skill sharing. It has been a joy seeing her business develop and grow, and her enthusiasm for my work has helped me grow mine in turn.
I've been warmly welcomed by Emily's community as well as by her family, including her husband Spencer. He has cooked for us and laughed with us on my visits over the years, their hospitality is unmatched. We even managed to meet up in Mexico while on holiday. I was over the moon to be invited to the dynamic couples' colourful wedding this summer, where my partner and I had so much fun!
When Emily mentioned she was considering marking her 10th year in business by asking a select group of jewellers to create pieces inspired by her local area, I thought it was a fantastic idea. I told her she would have no problem recruiting us, she has developed relationships with many other makers who would be happy to mark the occasion. I was visiting for another workshop, so was able to start thinking about what my starting point might be.
The peak of Ingleborough is ever-present as you move through the countryside around Settle. The image I began working from was taken in April, when the bare branches on trees are still visible and there is a ruggedness to the landscape. It's ridged peak spoke to me and I could easily see how to interpret it using my square wire folding and layering techniques. By chance I came across a group of tourmalines, varying shades of green and mauve, which I thought captured the colours I'd seen perfectly.
I began by testing ideas in silver for the ring, building on recent work that involves creating layers using different thicknesses of square wire and forging plains by hammering wider sections.
I then began to work in 18k gold - I wanted this piece to be made from 18k gold to highlight the importance of the local landscape as well as the special 10th anniversary. Even though I'd done some testing, I always leave a lot of the decision making to evolve while I am working. This keeps a freshness and energy to the work, and keeps me interested. I had fun playing with negative space, and enjoyed the connection to ordnance survey maps when looking straight down on to the ring, as well as the clear link to the ridged peak of Inglebough as you view it from side angles.
As the ring began to take shape, I started to develop the earrings. I wanted to use the distinct line of the Ingleborough peak while also abstracting it so it wasn't obvious unless 'in the know'.
By turning the horizon on it's side, a shape was created that connects to Art Deco design and plays with the space around the neck and jawline. I decided to combine silver with 18k gold for the earrings, creating gold highlights. I used green and pink tourmalines to represent the shades of the rolling hills and the mauves in the spring trees. I decided to hang the droplet shaped pink tourmalines to represent the happy northern rain that fell on a happy day in July.
These pieces represent a culmination of a unique friendship that started with two women wanting to share their love of craftsmanship and design, and make a business out of it. We have supported each other through the struggles and the successes, widening our circle of artists and friends along the way.
Congratulations to Emily for 10 years of Studio Vault! The exhibition is now open and continues through till December.
The 10th Anniversary Exhibition can be viewed at
Studio Vault
Settle Town Hall, Settle
North Yorkshire
BD24 9EJ